A New Kind of Bender
by Terra Twilight
Summary: What if there was an anomaly where a bender could bend two elements? Could this new bender find a place in the world?
1. A New Bender

Bolin was walking along the sidewalk towards Narook's Seaweed Noodlery with Pabu curled over his shoulders. The summer sun beat down on him and little beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. It was abnormally hot for this time of year, but that didn't stop him from venturing away from Air Temple Island to enjoy an all-you-can eat offer he received for being a loyal customer at Narook's.

As he approached the restaurant he could hear the murmurs of the many customers that frequented the popular eatery. However, today there were some voices that rose above the happy chatter and Bolin entered the establishment to find Narook arguing with a girl. Bolin shrugged and sat himself down at his usual place by the front window and waited patiently for Narook to finish.

"I don't care how many times you beg, food is not free, young lady!" Narook screamed.

"Please, I'm so hungry," she begged.

At this statement Bolin turned around to take another look at the girl. Her clothes were dirty and torn in places and her face looked bruised and scratched. Taking pity on her he got up and said, "Why don't you come join me? I know all the best grub here and I'll take care of the bill." The girl looked at him warily, but nodded when she heard no argument from Narook. She followed him back to the table and Bolin ordered two steaming bowls of the seaweed noodle special.

The girl looked around nervously and avoided making eye contact with Bolin. "What's got you in a tizzy?" he asked her.

She jumped a bit when he asked her, and said, "I'm just not used to this kind of kindness." She played a bit with her hair as they conversed.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm Bolin," he said proudly, pointing his thumb to his chest. "And this is Pabu," he mentioned motioning a hand to the lively fire ferret. "What's yours?"

"Saido," she said shyly. "So you're an earth bender; aren't you a part of a pro-bending team?"

"Well, yea," Bolin said. "But we don't know when we'll be able to play again. The arena is all but destroyed."

"Yea, I heard about that." Saido shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The food was taking forever.

"So what about you? What do you bend?" he asked.

Saido shifted again and answered, "If I told you, you'd think I was a lying fraud like everyone else."

"No I wouldn't. I promise," he said, holding a fist to his heart and his other hand raised beside him. "I swear I won't think anything of the sort." Seeing as she still looked uncomfortable telling him he said, "Why don't we see after dinner, okay?" Saido nodded and just then their food came out.

Saido and Bolin stood in an alley off to the side of Narook's restaurant. "I can't just tell you," Saido said. "I have to show you what I bend." Bolin nodded and smiled at her; this was fun and all, but he really thought it was funny how mysterious she was being. What could she possibly be able to bend that would make him think she was a lying fraud?

Saido took in a deep breath and slowly began bending some water out of a nearby puddle that had survived the heat of the day. She turned and swayed just as a water bender did, but her form was changing. The moves were getting faster and more aggressive and before he knew it, Bolin was watching in awe as she added fire to the bending. The water and fire were intertwining with each other, hardly touching, and she finally aimed her twisted water/fire rope at a pile of crates and demolished them in one blow. What was left over from the crates was burnt, but when Bolin placed a hand on the wreckage it was cool to the touch.

He turned around and gaped at her. "How the – how did…?" he stuttered. Saido shrugged.

"It's just how I was born. I've been able to bend the two for as long as I can remember. They are the elements I can bend; fire and water only," she explained. "I was actually traveling here to see the Avatar to see if she may be of assistance to me." Bolin was struggling to not stare with an open mouth at the girl.

"Uh… buh…uhm…yea. Okay," he managed to get out. "I could take you to see Korra."


	2. The Voice

Saido awoke in a field covered in a dense fog. She immediately got on her feet and began stumbling around to find anything that may be familiar to her. The fog was endless; nothing came close enough into view for her to place where she was. "Hello?" she called out.

_Welcome_, a voice echoed around her. Saido took on a fighting stance, ready to fend off a hidden foe. _There's no need to get defensive_, the voice soothed. She barely loosened up but was still prepared to take on whoever was there.

The voice laughed. _Do not worry, I mean you no harm_.

"Who are you?" she asked.

_I am you._

"How can that be? You couldn't be; your voice is too deep to be my own," she said.

_You misunderstand. I am you, you are me, we are one,_ the voice explained. Saido felt as though it were taking her in a verbal circle and it made her dizzy thinking about it. _Destiny has given us a chance_. _Soon, we will no longer be the object of mockery_. _We shall be infamous_, it told her.

A shiver ran up Saido's spine. The voice laughed again, _Soon_. The world suddenly began to spin and Saido found herself lying on the ground again. Above her she could see the outline of Firelord Zuko's memorial statue.

Saido awoke again, this time she found herself looking up with clear vision at Firelord Zuko's statue. The sun was sweltering again and Saido was grateful for the shade of the statue, though her mind was abuzz with the memory of what she believed was a dream. She finally remembered that she was at the statue because Bolin was supposed to be there soon. After her little show last night the two had agreed to meet here so that he could take her to see Korra. Once Bolin left for Air Temple Island, Saido just took to camping out beneath the statue; there really was no other place for her to go.

"Hey!" she heard Bolin's voice call out. Saido turned to greet him and he happily met her with a smile on his face. It was hard for her not to shyly smile back at him. "Are you ready to meet the Avatar now?" he asked her. A shadow crossed Saido's face and she turned away from him.

"I'm nervous; what if she doesn't like me?" she asked. _Would she just be like everyone else? _The thought passed through her mind; Saido tried not to let it oppress the little bit of hope she had left. Bolin's smile faded a little, and he placed a calming hand on her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Korra is really nice and her mentor is even nicer. Maybe he can help you too," he told her. "Come on." Saido nodded and followed him; she was trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to flow because of her mixed emotions. All her life she'd been let down and abused by the people she loved. Now she was scared out of her wits that these people would let her down too, but there was also the ray of hope that they could help her to understand.

***Author's Note: Please bear with me as I am writing this story…


	3. On the Island

A/N: I went back and changed a few details in the first two chapters because of some upcoming events in the story so there are no gaps. Please go back and see what the changes were before reviewing about the new events. Thank you!

The avatar eyed Saido suspiciously. Bolin had excitedly explained to them what she could do the night before, but Korra was not fond of the idea of letting Saido stay on the island. After the war against the equalists, Korra was anxious about this newcomer especially since she could bend _two_ elements. "So, you're a water bender…who also bends fire?" she asked. "How?"

"Well, uhm, actually I don't know how," Saido answered. "Mother was a water bender, but she never mentioned if father was a bender. In fact, she never spoke of him much."

"What tribe was she from?" The one named Tenzin asked.

"I'm not sure, she went rogue long before I came along," Saido said nervously as she watched Korra and Tenzin exchange worried looks when she mentioned her mother going rogue.

"Rogue?"

"She never explained why, but I'm sure it had to be something personal that she had to leave for," she explained.

"And what of your father?"

"He left when he found out she was pregnant with me," she answered sadly.

Korra thought for a moment then said, "So you have no clue where your fire bending is from?" She folded her arms across her chest and speculated the young bender.

Saido's heart thudded against her breast bone, "No. It's something I'm still trying to figure out." _Why am I getting so nervous over the topic of fire bending?_

"Bolin," Korra turned and addressed her friend. "She can stay on the island, but you are responsible for her." Saido breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't hear anger in the avatar's voice. Korra then turned and walked a few feet away with Tenzin, and they began speaking in hushed voices.

Saido looked at Bolin who smiled and gave her thumbs up. His brother, Mako, elbowed him with a sly smirk, and then he leaned over to whisper something in Bolin's ear. Whatever he said cause Bolin to suddenly turn bright red. Bolin punched Mako in the arm before Mako took off towards the boys' dormitories.

"Saido," Korra called. "Come with me and Asami, and we'll show you to your room." She turned and Asami followed after her. Saido sprinted after them and looked back at Bolin before they disappeared in the girls' dormitories.

As Asami helped Saido settle in to her room, Korra explained to her the rules of the island. When they had finished she said, "Don't worry, we're not trying to put you out by being so curt, we're just being cautious. After Amon, things have been really tense trying to get everything back in order."

"It's okay," Saido empathized. "I understand. Besides, I'm a new kind of bender that no one understands. It's only natural for you to be concerned." She smiled a little at Korra who returned it with a warm smile.

"Get some rest. Breakfast starts early on the island and you don't want to miss Pema's cooking." The door slid shut behind Korra and Asami.

Saido looked out the window into the starry night sky. The gentle glow of the buildings left behind from the war reflected beautifully in the harbor. Waves crashed softly against the shores of the island, some of the light reflected in their peaks. It almost looks like liquid fire, she thought.

_'Fire: that which burns within our heart,'_ the voice echoed in her thoughts. Fear crawled up her spine as it spoke to her. _'Soon…we will show them what we are capable of.'_ Visions of the island on fire, the city burning, and the dark, still figure of the avatar laying on the ground flashed in Saido's mind.


	4. The Promise

"I could never destroy this city!" Saido cried at the voice.

_'It is your fate, though. You will do as you had promised,' _the voice seethed.

"Promised?"

_'Do you not remember the fire?'_ Saido felt the heat of flames lapping at her feet and she looked down to find the old wood of a house she had long forgotten. _'Then again, you were so young when it happened.' _She looked up and saw the scorched planks of wood lying over two motionless bodies. One of them, a young girl, began to move. _"Help, somebody! Mother?"_ the girl cried out. Saido gasped as she realized the little girl was her.

The fire was spreading quickly and as it approached the girl, it stopped. Saido couldn't hear what the little girl said, but the fire swarmed her once she finished. Rather than burning little Saido, the fire seemed to melt into her skin; her body glowed brightly for a few moments and then she appeared unharmed. "What? How?" Saido gasped.

The vision disappeared and she was in her room in the air temple again. _'That was the night in which I saved you from the brink of death,' _the voice said soothingly. _'Your ability to bend fire is because of me. Your water bending soul and my fire spirit is what allows you to bend the two elements.'_

"But what – what did you mean about my promise? What promise?" Saido questioned, her voice cracked with fear.

_'I saved you because you promised to do whatever was required to let you live. Now that we are here, you _will_ destroy the avatar and Republic City.'_

"And if I don't comply with your requests?" she croaked.

_'If you fail, then my fire will destroy you.'_

Tears welled up in Saido's eyes and fear gripped at her heart. She was trying to prove to the others that she was a good person, not a threat. The presence of the fire diminished, but she knew it was still there. Saido lay down on her bed and hugged her knees to her chest. She sobbed as the memory of the fire replayed in her mind.


	5. Breakfast and a Show

"Goooood morning!" Bolin's voice crashed into Saido's sleep. She opened her eyes to find him leaning over her bed. Usually she had been woken up by Asami or Korra over the past two weeks, but she was surprised to see Bolin in her room this morning.

"Uhm, Bolin? What are you doing in the girls' dormitories?" She sat up in the bed and Bolin straightened up.

"Oh, well when you didn't show up for breakfast they sent me to come find you," he said. "But don't worry, there's still some time for you to eat. Come on!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her out of bed. Saido had trouble following him as he dragged her out of the dorms towards the dining hall.

"Hey, wait! Slow down!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away," he said, slowing down in the middle of the yard. Bolin looked down and saw that he was still holding her hand. He blushed and quickly turned away, pulling away from her hand. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered.

Saido giggled, "It's okay. Come on, I'm hungry." She let him lead her into the massive dining hall where several late air acolytes quickly tried to finish their breakfast. Bolin didn't stop there, though, and he led her into the private dining room that was meant for Tenzin's family and their guests. A place was set for her with warm, delicious food. Saido sat before the food and looked up at Bolin.

"Oh, go ahead," he told her, smiling. "I've already eaten."

"Well, you could at least sit down," she said, returning his warm smile. He sat next to her and immediately began chattering. As she ate, he animatedly told her all of the things that happened ever since he and Mako met Korra. He told her his view of the war against the equalists and all of the horrors Amon had impeded upon the benders of the city. But now it was a time of peace and rebuilding. She was used to silence at meal times since the others still had trouble trusting her, but she was glad to have someone to converse with this morning. However, the way he spoke of the war weighed heavily on her heart.

Saido remembered what the spirit had told her the night she'd arrived on the island, and she was afraid of hurting her new friend. _'If you fail, you will die.'_ The words echoed in her mind; she didn't want to die, but she didn't want to hurt anyone either. "Are you okay?" Bolin's voice broke her train of thought.

"Huh? Oh, yea, I'm fine," she said, smiling weakly. "Come on, let's go meet with the others before they have to leave."

'_Do not follow this path, Saido. Do not fall for him, or you will fail.'_

_._

_._

_._

Tenzin, Korra, Mako, and Asami were waiting for them in the training area. "Before we go out and assist the city again, we wanted to see the strength of your bending," Tenzin explained. "Just aim your bending at the dummies we have set up over there." He motioned at three dummies lined up at the edge of the courtyard. "Try to concentrate all of the strength of your bending at them."

Saido looked nervously over at Bolin who gave her a smile and a thumb up. "Don't worry, you'll do fine," he encouraged. Saido sighed and nodded, turning her attention to the dummies.

Several large buckets of water were set off to the side of their makeshift arena, brimming with cool water. Saido took a deep breath before lifting the water out of two of the buckets. The water swayed in the area and she formed a giant, solid wall with it. Saido took another deep breath and forced the wall of water at the dummy in the middle, obliterating it. Feathers and scraps of clothed fluttered in the air; the stick the dummy had been positioned on lay in a pile of splintered wood.

Saido lifted the remaining water out of their buckets. She used most of the water as ice bullets and sent a barrage of them for the dummy on the left. The rest of the water she used as a sword and slashed the remains of the dummy to pieces. Sweat beaded up on her forehead and her breath came in huffs. She heard clapping and turned to find Bolin cheering on her display. The others merely looked at her.

"Impressive," Korra said. "Your water bending is pretty strong; I wonder how good you are with fire bending." A twinge of anger pulsed in Saido's heart, but it wasn't her own emotion. The spirit felt threatened, as if the avatar had somehow insulted its power. Its anger began to consume her feelings.

"_No,"_ she commanded, trying to compose herself and settle the spirit. _"Not here."_ The spirit showed her images of burning them all to ash, destroying the avatar, and the scorched remains of the island. _"NO!"_

"Are you ok?" Mako asked, interrupting the battle within Saido. Concern shadowed their faces and Korra had taken a step back. The spirit's anger melted away and it seethed, _'The path you walk will only lead to your demise.'_

"I-I'm fine," she breathed. "Sorry." Korra and Tenzin exchanged nervous glances and watched as Saido prepared to fire bend. "My fire bending is not as strong as my water bending can be," she explained. She wasn't lying; as much destruction as the spread of the fire could cause, her fire attacks really weren't that powerful. For the last dummy, she made a whip of fire and slashed it leaving it scorched and burning. "It may not be very strong, but the fire can still inflict damage," she told them, turning around again.

"Tenzin?" Korra turned to the senior air bender. He stroked his beard in thought.

"This is very peculiar. We'll have to examine any extenuating circumstances of your life if we were to gain any grounds on understanding this phenomenon," he explained. He turned and addressed Bolin, "Bolin, you and Saido can stay on the island while the rest of us go on to the city."

"Aye aye, sir!" Bolin exclaimed, jokingly saluting Tenzin. Asami giggled a little and Korra smiled at him as they got on Oogie with Mako and Tenzin.

"Yip yip!" Tenzin commanded and the sky bison took off into the sky. Saido watched as they disappeared over the bay and into the city.

Bolin walked over and nudged Saido. "Come on," he said. "I wanna show you a really cool place." For the second time that day, he grabbed her hand and took off running.

**A/N: As you can see, I've edited some things here to make the story run more smoothly. Read carefully because I've changed some other things as well. Hopefully this helps make things in the next chapter make more sense.**


	6. A Secret Place

Sun filtered through the trees in the small grove and mottled the floor with little pools of light. Bolin and Saido walked to the edge of the grove where a wall of thick green vines and bamboo twisted together to create a wall of overgrowth. Bolin grabbed a section of the overgrowth and pulled it back to reveal a small tunnel. "Ladies first," he said, bowing.

Saido giggled and said, "Why thank you, sir." She tucked into the tunnel and began crawling through it. She heard Bolin enter the tunnel behind her as well as the short _swish _of the curtain of overgrowth closing behind them. The tunnel wasn't long and Saido soon found herself stepping out into a small alcove.

The alcove was enclosed by more of the thick overgrowth and was quite spacious for such a small area. Colorful flowers climbed up the wall of overgrowth and a small stream spilled down into a little pool. The whole space was so serene and beautiful. Saido looked back at Bolin and grinned. "Bolin, this place is _gorgeous_," she gasped.

Bolin smiled. "I found it a while back," he explained, his voice soft and caring. "When we first came to the island I did a little bit of exploring. I was wandering through the grove of trees and found the tunnel. It was the most perfect place I'd ever seen; I didn't really feel like telling anyone else about it. That's why I covered up the tunnel." Saido's heart fluttered a little; this place was sacred to him, yet he brought her here. She studied the alcove and smelled one of the lily blossoms on the wall.

"Thank you, for sharing this with me." Saido stroked the petals of the lily blossom and a blush rose to her face.

"You're welcome. I mean, you're special so I thought I'd share something special with you." Saido's heart beat faster as her heard his feet move towards her. He reached for her hand and she turned around. "You really are special." Saido suddenly realized how close he was as she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. Her heart began to race and she feared it would beat out of her chest. "I- I really…" Bolin stammered. "L-look…I know we haven't known each other long b-but…I really like you, Saido."

His cheeks burned bright red and he closed his eyes in embarrassment. "I'm sorry…it's probably too soon for you. I mean, I'd understand if-" Saido cut off the last part of his sentence as she pressed her lips to his. She heard his muffled gasp before he pressed against her and returned the kiss. Bolin wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.

When they finally broke the kiss Saido spun around, her cheeks burning brightly, and she gasped, "I'm so sorry. I just reacted impulsively." She covered her face with her hands, hoping to hide her embarrassment from him. Bolin smiled and grabbed her shoulders to turn her back towards him. He pulled her hands away from her face and held them.

"There's no need to be sorry, Saido," he told her as he gently caressed her cheek and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. A tear escaped her and Bolin's gentle, happy expression shifted to one of worry. "Wait, why are you crying? I didn't mean to make you cry." He tried wiping away the tears that began to flow freely. "No, no, no, no, no don't cry! It's okay."

"But, Bolin…you trust so easily. How do you know I'm not bad?" she said softly. She thought of all of the terrible images the fire spirit had shown her of all of her new friends perishing at her hands. She thought of people in the past that had shut her out because of her being abnormal. Anguish clawed at her heart as the fire spirit urged her to betray the man she was falling for.

"Well, you're not, are you? I don't think you're bad," he told her. He noticed the worry in her eyes and sighed. Saido choked on a sob and looked away from him. "Saido, even if everyone else thinks you're bad, you're not." Bolin pulled her towards him in a warm embrace, "I just think you need someone who believes you are good. And you are, Saido." Tears began burning in her eyes again; she gripped tightly to Bolin's shirt. After a few minutes, she collected herself and looked up at Bolin with puffy, teary eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "These past couple of weeks you all have shown me such kindness and I'm just so overwhelmed that I don't know how I'm supposed to handle it. Though, I do want to show everyone my thanks for their patience and kindness."

Bolin chuckled a little and smiled for her. "Don't worry. You're in a good place and even though the others are terrible at showing it, we really do care about you." Saido laughed a little too and rubbed the tears from her eyes. "Now, come on. Let's do something a little more lively, hmmm?" he said, lightening the mood with an optimistic wink. "Do you like Pai Sho? I found a Pai Sho board earlier and thought we could play some." Saido nodded and sat on the ground before Bolin and the game board. For the rest of the afternoon the two laughed and chattered over the game. Saido was glad to have found people that cared, even if they didn't always smile at her. There was still something nagging at the back of her mind, though. Her thoughts and feelings were calm for once, but she had a feeling that it wouldn't last for long.

**A/N: Aha! I've edited this chapter, too! Now, onto the next! Thank you to those who have been reviewing this far, it really helps. Love you all! **


	7. The Spirit's Wrath

_You've made a grave error, Saido_.

Saido awoke to find herself in the dark mist again. The spirit appeared before her as a small fire sprite and spoke to her, _"I warned you there would be consequences if you continued to fall for that boy."_

"No! You don't understand," she cried. "I haven't failed you. I – I promise!" Saido wrapped her arms around herself, falling to the ground as the spirit lashed out at her with searing flames. She screamed in pain as it closed in on her.

"_You failed me the moment you kissed him!"_ it hissed. It lashed out again and again, burning Saido's flesh. _"Foolish child; do you not know how this complicates things? You're attached to him. If you had followed through with the plan we wouldn't have any problems!" _The spirit hit her with each word, and she cried in agony. Tears flowed freely as she cowered from the spirit's anger.

Suddenly the attack stopped and the spirit approached her. Saido continued to cry when the spirit placed a warm, yet soothing, hand on her shoulder. _"There is still hope for you."_

Saido turned as the spirit placed its hand on her cheek, and the tears began to subside at the warmth of its touch. "What?" she asked of it.

"_You must break his heart. Make him believe that you hate him; we are already in position. It will be harder because the others will turn on you, but we are close enough now to complete our mission,"_ it said calmly.

"No! I couldn't, I – I really like him," Saido cried. "I couldn't just break his heart like that, even for your own advantage." Anger suddenly surged through her veins, and she slapped away the fire spirits' hands. Her breath came out in rapid huffs as she thought about the treatment she received from this fire spirit. She regretted ever asking it to spare her life now that she knew its true intentions. Her blood boiled at the mere thought of letting it control her, letting it destroy the place that was becoming her home. "I will not be your puppet anymore!"

"_You have no choice,"_ it hissed. _"Your soul and my spirit…we are combined. If you cannot complete the tasks I have given you then I will have no choice but to take over."_

"You can't do that," she laughed hesitantly. "Can you?"

"_Yes, and I can just as easily take your life away. Remember that Saido, for if you choose to disobey me, I will end you. I will end you and finish this myself."_

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the short hiatus and the crappy endings to these last two chapters. _ Life has gotten pretty hectic recently, but I hope to be posting more additions to this story soon! Thank you for all of you that are following and please remember to leave a comment or review! Thanks! **

**EDIT: This chapter was edited again, as well as a few chapters before. I'm sorry for editing so far into the story, but I felt it would better explain things and the story wouldn't feel **_**too**_** rushed. Heh.**


	8. The Morning After

Saido awoke in a cold sweat. She could still feel the grip of the fire spirit on her arms, and bright welts on her skin showed where it had lashed out at her. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she curled up on the bed. Outside, the sun was beginning to rise over the horizon, painting the sky with a beautiful yet ominous red satin color.

She buried her face into her hands, trying to muffle the sounds of her sobs as the fire spirit's words and anger reverberated through her. A knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts. "Saido? Are you awake?" Asami called from the other side of the door. She slid the door open just as Saido was quickly wiping away the evidence of your tears. Asami paused and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Saido said calmly, smiling up at her. She stood up from her bed and walked with Asami out of the room. "What are the others up to?" she asked, trying to keep up a conversation as they walked towards the dining room.

Asami smiled lightly at Saido. "They're getting ready for breakfast, and I think Pema and the kids are cooking it for us." Saido giggled at the idea of the air-bending children helping Pema cook. They were all so high-spirited and Saido guessed that they were probably jumping all around the kitchen excitedly. As they approached the private dining hall, Saido's guess was confirmed. From the other side of the wall she could hear the banging and crashing of dishes, the giggles of children, and Pema's scolding voice calling out to them.

Saido and Asami ran in to find Pema and Jinora fumbling over the breakfast as Ikki and Meelo zoomed around on air scooters. "Woohoo!" they called out as the passed over Pema's head. She scowled at them and breathed a sigh of relief when she caught sight of Asami.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here," she sighed. "I could really use your help to distract the kids while I get this ready and on the table. Would you mind taking them out?"

Asami smiled warmly at her. "No problem." She looked up and grabbed Ikki and Meelo by the tails of their shirts as they tried to pass overhead. "Come on, you two, let's go get everyone else so we can sit down for breakfast together." Ikki and Meelo pouted at her, but reluctantly agreed to follow.

Saido turned to follow them, but Pema's voice held her back. "If you wouldn't mind, I could use your help, Saido," she said. "I need you to set the table." She handed over a pile of dishes and chopsticks. Saido balanced them carefully in her arms and walked back out to the dining hall. She placed the dishes down before setting up the table. Once she was finished, though, she looked back at her work and sighed. Her memory of how it was always set had failed her and now it looked all wrong. She wrinkled her nose in determination and tried again, placing the chopsticks just so and working to put the bowls and the plates in their respective places.

"Wow, you're really concentrating on this," Bolin's voice echoed behind her. Saido turned and blushed as the earth bender walked in to aid her in her current assignment. "You know, you're really cute when you concentrate like that," he said softly, turning to her with a smile on his face. Saido blushed as he came closer, his hand reaching up. Suddenly the sound of others walking in and talking brought them out of their own little world. They focused on the place settings and sat down in their seats as everyone else joined them.

Saido walked back through the tunnel to the secret grove Bolin had shown her. Her heart sat heavy in her chest as she thought about how she would tell Bolin about her secret. She gently stroked the petals of a lily and breathed in its sweet perfume. The delicate flower folded in her grasp as she pulled it from its stem. A flame simmered in her hand and the ashes of the flower fell in her palm. With a sigh she sat on a rock and waited to see if Bolin would appear in the little grove at all.


	9. Confession

Saido's heart beat fast against her chest as she heard the rustling of branches and the shuffle of footsteps in the tunnel. She turned as Bolin entered the little grove, a smile on his face and Pabu around his shoulders. Pabu jumped down and ran over to nuzzle against Saido's cheek; she smiled cheerfully at the fire ferret.

"So what are you doing back here by yourself?" Bolin asked. The smile faded from Saido's face as she stood up with Pabu in her arms.

"Bolin…" she said hesitantly. "There's something I need to tell you."

Bolin's smile faltered and he replied with concern, "Okay, what is it?"

Saido sighed, putting Pabu down on the ground. "You know how I have the ability to bend water _and_ fire?" Bolin nodded. "Well, I wasn't born that way. This ability to bend fire…it comes from the power of a fire spirit," she explained. Bolin looked even more concerned at first, but then confused.

"What do you mean? I thought you _were_ born that way. What is this about a fire spirit?"

"When I was a little girl, my mother and I were trapped in a house fire. My mother perished, but before I could meet my fate, a fire spirit offered me life in return for something I regret ever agreeing to." As she explained, her voice grew tight with tension at the thought of keeping this from him. Though, she only herself had just learned of the truth. "I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you –"

"What was it you promised?" Bolin asked abruptly.

Saido gulped, considering her words before she spoke. Sweat beaded up on her brow and she wrapped her arms around herself uncomfortably. "I promised to help take out the Avatar," she whispered.

"What?"

"I promised to help take out the Avatar," she cried. "Okay? I was selfish and I put someone else's life over my own before I even knew them." Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Bolin took a step back from her, anger, confusion, and sadness flashing in his eyes. "Saido, how could… how could you?"

"It's different now," she said quietly. "I won't listen to it anymore; I – I'll find a way to get rid of it."

"But you lied to us…" he whispered. "You lied to me. You used me to get here!" Bolin turned and punched the wall, the leaves shook and the rock cracked from the blow. "I can't believe you used me!" he yelled at her. "I trusted you!" Saido reached out a hand to stop him, but Bolin slapped her hand away and he stormed out through the tunnel.

Pabu looked up at Saido and tilted his head to the side before following after his master. Saido collapsed to her knees, feverishly wiping away the hot tears that fell down her cheeks. "I-I'm so sorry," she whispered to herself. She wanted to run after him, but by now he was probably telling the others and she expected she would soon be escorted to the jailhouse.

'_This is your fault. I warned you.'_ The fire spirit seethed within her, its heat growing intensely as it overpowered her control. Saido couldn't move. _'Now you have no choice.'_ Fire burned within her, scorching her. It felt as though she was being burned from the inside out.

**A/N: Short chapter is short, but I will be back to write more! Things are going to get intense and descriptive, so readers beware. Please continue to review! It really helps and I love hearing from you guys! :)**


	10. Trapped

Saido fought to regain control of her body again; the fire spirit was steadily bearing down upon her, trying to force itself outside of her. She stumbled through the tunnel, crawling over the rough path and out into the open. Even though it was the middle of summer and the heat was incredibly intense, the sun felt cool to her skin. Fire began burning through her skin and she could see the flames as it surfaced.

Saido screamed deftly as the fire spirit crushed her soul and scorched her entire being. Somewhere a little ways off, she could hear the Bolin calling out to her. She turned to look for him, her vision becoming unfocused as the spirit won over her. She could see the faint outline of Bolin running up to her before completely blacking out.

…

The fire spirit cackled. Saido's body was now its own, it could move freely now the brat was finally out of the way. Bolin ran up to her, his face full of concern as he saw the flames that danced across her skin. "Saido? Saido, are you okay?" he asked.

The spirit smiled coyly and sat up before the earth bender. "Of course," she said, though the voice was raspy and full of venom. She let the flames grow bigger and Bolin stared as the skin the flames had touched healed quickly. The fire seemed not to touch her, though her skin still glowed brightly from the flames that coursed within her. "Though, to be honest, I'm not really Saido," the spirit told him.

Bolin took a step back, fear and anger shadowing his face. "What did you do to her? Who are you?" he asked. His voice was threatening, but the fire spirit could hear a tinge of fear in his tone.

With a sigh she said, "Oh, just someone who's got some unfinished business with the Avatar and the rest of the miscreants running around in this world. What happened to the brat is really none of your concern, nor could I care less what else happens to her."

Bolin took another step back. "Where is Saido?" he asked through gritted teeth. He took on a defensive stance and prepared himself to fight this new creature.

"I already told you, it's none of your concern," the spirit retorted. "Besides, she'll be dead soon anyway; she was never much of a strong one."

Bolin felt his heart drop in his chest. _Dead?_ He studied the creature before him; it looked like Saido, but it wasn't her. She couldn't really be gone, could she? He thrust his fist in anger at the spirit, sending a block of solid earth towards its middle. The spirit dodged the earth easily and threw a ball of fire at Bolin's head.

Bolin ducked as the fire ball whizzed over his head, singing a lock of his hair. "What's the matter?" the spirit taunted. "Never played with fire before?" Bolin looked at the spirit in fear. Part of him wanted to stay and fight off the raging spirit, but his conscience got the better of him and he started running for the others. "Coward!" the spirit called after him.

He looked back to see the spirit sprinting after him. "Come back here and fight!" it screamed. Anger twisted her face and the farther he got, the more twisted she looked. The fire lapped at her skin and left burn marks in the ground beneath her feet. Bolin turned back around and screamed out for the others.

"HELP!" he cried.

…

Saido awoke at the sound of Bolin's screams. As she jolted awake, a pain rushed to her head and she was forced to lie back down. "Ow," she moaned. She opened her eyes to darkness. "Huh?" Slowly, she sat up again. Looking around she was able to find a small sliver of light in the dark.

"Hello?" she called out. Her voice echoed around her and there was no sign of an answer to follow. Saido stood up and walked towards the sliver of light. It looked like the edges of a curtain and felt as smooth as silk, though there was strange warmth to them. The longer she held her hand there the hotter it was so she quickly pulled it back to reveal the light.

The source of the light had been an open window, and as she looked outside of it, Saido realized she was watching herself running after Bolin. But, it wasn't herself, was it? She could feel the pure evil and hatred coming off in vibes from the fire spirit that had locked away her soul and taken over her body. "No," she whispered as the spirit was nearing the temple. "No! You can't!"

"Shut up, child!" the spirit's voice echoed around her, the force of its anger knocking her down. "There's nothing left you can do. My spirit is stronger than yours and soon you will become nothing. You'll be dead!"

Saido knew she was right. The spirit had indeed grown stronger than her own, but it couldn't really be the end…could it? "Y-you're wrong!" she cried. "I know Bolin and the others will find a way to beat you and then I'll be free again!"

The spirit laughed, "Foolish girl. Even if they could defeat me it would mean death, and your mortal body will be of no use to your miserably weak soul. You'll disappear." Saido cringed at the spirit's words. There was no way for anyone on the outside to bring her back; it was too late. She sat up and continued watching out the window. Bolin had tripped and was now crawling away from the spirit as it lashed out at him. Korra and the others were running to his rescue and were giving the spirit hell, though it didn't seem to phase the spirit.

It didn't matter if they were a bender or a non-bender; the spirit was literally untouchable with its force field of fire. Saido could see the rage in Korra's face and her heart sank. Of all the people she had wanted to impress, she had failed with Korra. The Avatar was bound to hate her guts now. It all seemed hopeless.

**A/N: Thank you again for all the follows, favorites, and reviews! Continue being awesome! :D**


End file.
